Viazul [http://www.viazul.com/] buses have a twice daily service from Havana stopping at [[Cienfuegos]], and a daily service from [[Santiago de Cuba]] stopping at [[Holguin]], [[Camagüey]], and [[Sancti Spiritus]]. There is also a service to/from [[Varadero]] stopping at [[Santa Clara (Cuba)|Santa Clara]] and Cienfuegos that is not listed on the Viazul website. It leaves Varadero at 7:30AM and returns from Trinidad at 2:25PM. You buy Viazul tickets from the air conditioned office right in front of where the buses park, not from the Astro or local bus counters.

+

Viazul [http://www.viazul.com/] buses have a twice daily service from Havana stopping at [[Cienfuegos]], and a daily service from [[Santiago de Cuba]] stopping at [[Holguin]], [[Camagüey]], and [[Sancti Spiritus]]. There is also a service to/from [[Varadero]] stopping at [[Santa Clara (Cuba)|Santa Clara]] and Cienfuegos that is not listed on the Viazul website. It leaves Varadero at 7:30AM and returns from Trinidad at 2:25PM. Viazul and Cubanacan offer direct buses to/from [[Viñales]] as well. You buy Viazul tickets from the air conditioned office right in front of where the buses park, not from the Astro or local bus counters.

Travel via taxi, specifically, unofficial taxis are a great cost effective way to travel to Trinidad as well. Typically only costing double the bus fare for two people, you'll get there in less than half the time, and in much greater comfort. When traveling with children, you might find this the preferred method of travel.

Travel via taxi, specifically, unofficial taxis are a great cost effective way to travel to Trinidad as well. Typically only costing double the bus fare for two people, you'll get there in less than half the time, and in much greater comfort. When traveling with children, you might find this the preferred method of travel.

Line 16:

Line 16:

The waterfalls just outside of the town in [[Gran_Parque_Natural_Topes_de_Collantes|Topes de Collantes]] are beautiful. These are accessible either by car or by taking one of the day tours offered by Cubatur. (The local bus service to Topes de Collantes hasn't run in years.)

The waterfalls just outside of the town in [[Gran_Parque_Natural_Topes_de_Collantes|Topes de Collantes]] are beautiful. These are accessible either by car or by taking one of the day tours offered by Cubatur. (The local bus service to Topes de Collantes hasn't run in years.)

−

There is also salsa dancing in the square at night. Check out the colonial homes and furniture too, the houses are open and some of the antiquities are visible from the streets.

+

There is also salsa dancing in the square at night. Check out the colonial homes and furniture too. The houses are open and some of the antiquities are visible from the streets. Check out Casa de la Música: It is an open air location where there is a small platform from which groups perform at night. Usually, there is salsa musica and great salsa dancers there enjoy the music and dance and perform with foreigners. It is great to enjoy a few drinks there as well.

==Do==

==Do==

+

Walk around in the old colonial center.

Walk around in the old colonial center.

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Line 25:

[[Image:Muswarbanditsview.jpg|thumb|200px|View from the Museum of the War Against the Bandits]]

[[Image:Muswarbanditsview.jpg|thumb|200px|View from the Museum of the War Against the Bandits]]

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The Museum of the War Against the Bandits is in a former convent close to the cathedral near the Plaza Mayor in the old colonial center. The War Against the Bandits was the 1961-1969 fight against U.S.-sponsored counterrevolutionaries, who hid out in the nearby mountains. If you don't read Spanish the displays may be difficult to understand, but the piece of the American U-2 spy plane shot down speaks for itself. Also well worth the entrance is the <i>mirador</i> (viewpoint) in the convent's tower, reached by several flights of wooden stairs, which has superb views across the whole town.

+

The Museum of the War Against the Bandits (<i>Lucha Contra Bandidos</i>) is in a former convent close to the cathedral near the Plaza Mayor in the old colonial center. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_Against_the_Bandit| War Against the Bandits] was the 1961-1969 fight against U.S.-sponsored counterrevolutionaries, who hid out in the nearby mountains. If you don't read Spanish the displays may be difficult to understand, but the piece of the American U-2 spy plane shot down speaks for itself. Also well worth the entrance fee is the <i>mirador</i> (view) from the convent's tower, reached by several flights of wooden stairs, which has superb views across the whole town.

−

+

−

The Archeological Museum is not open.

+

The cathedral is beautiful inside.

The cathedral is beautiful inside.

Line 32:

Line 31:

Also the market in the old colonial center which is nice to walk around and look at the handicrafts - drawn thread tableclothes and linens seem to be a speciality. The vendors are refreshingly laid back, you can look around and get virtually no hassle or pressure to buy.

Also the market in the old colonial center which is nice to walk around and look at the handicrafts - drawn thread tableclothes and linens seem to be a speciality. The vendors are refreshingly laid back, you can look around and get virtually no hassle or pressure to buy.

−

Climb the hill behind the town to get a great view. To get there, continue up the hill northeast from the Plaza Mayor. There's a discotheque in a cave near the top of this hill.

+

The streets are cobble stones and very irregular and walking could be difficult for older folks. Wear runners for sure. Do not even think about wearing high heels. Your ankles will pay.

+

+

Climb the hill behind the town to get a great view. To get there, continue up the hill northeast from the Plaza Mayor. As you walk up the hill you go through poorer neighbourhoods. You may be asked for clothes or trinkets by the local kids. Seems pretty safe during the day but be careful at night.

+

+

There's a very atmospheric discotheque in a cave near the top of this hill (Las Cuevas). There is no sign or indication that it is there, just a steps leading into a hole in the ground behind a bush. It is in a huge cave with stalagmites and statactites. More tunnels and caves can be seen near the bathrooms. This is where young Cubans go to party, the music is mainly reggaton and techno. Fun starts after 11 pm. Very much worth checking it out. Cover charge for foreigners was 3 CUC [2012-09] including one drink (cocktail or beer). Beers were overcharged for foreigners (3.0 CUC asked) but could be paid for at the price for Cubans by flatly paying 1.5 CUC at the counter [2012-09].

Take one of the day tours offered by Cubatur. These include several options to Topes de Collantes, or a trip to the Valle de Los Ingenios on an old train with a restored carriage (if the steam engine is working ... if not, check back the next day). The train costs $10CUC per person. It is a nice way to spend a day for those with difficulties walking. The smoke from the steam engine can be thick, so watch out if you already have breathing difficulties.

Take one of the day tours offered by Cubatur. These include several options to Topes de Collantes, or a trip to the Valle de Los Ingenios on an old train with a restored carriage (if the steam engine is working ... if not, check back the next day). The train costs $10CUC per person. It is a nice way to spend a day for those with difficulties walking. The smoke from the steam engine can be thick, so watch out if you already have breathing difficulties.

+

+

Join a local tour on a horseback ride, the horse should take you into a forest half way and you will need to hike about half an hour into the forest, which leads to an amazing waterfall. Behind the waterfall is a cave you can swim into. In summer times, it is recommended to take a swim in the water fall, afterwards, the horse back ride trip will take you through muddy roads hiking back to the town of Trinidad.

+

+

==Learn==

+

+

=== Learning Spanish ===

+

+

If you want to learn Spanish during your stay in Trinidad you can take an Intensive Spanish course from one week up to four weeks. The classes are held 4 hours per day and give you the opportunity to improve your Spanish quickly during a short time period.

+

* Babylon Idiomas [http://www.babylon-idiomas.com/en/learn-spanish-cuba-trinidad.htm] offers a wide range of affordable and high quality Spanish courses for all levels with experienced native teachers. Cultural and social activities are included in the programme. The school is located in the heart of the city, close to the Iglesia Francisco and Palacio Brune. New students can start on any Monday of the year.

* Call Senora Misladis at 99-4493. She has a private studio in her home

==Buy==

==Buy==

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Line 77:

It is a lovely town with amazing visitors and inhabitants, and small enough for you to wander and choose your drinking hole. The Mojito's and rum cocktails are great.

It is a lovely town with amazing visitors and inhabitants, and small enough for you to wander and choose your drinking hole. The Mojito's and rum cocktails are great.

−

*'''Casa de la Musica''' - there are two bars in the main Trinidad square and there is live music from 9pm till late. There is lots of dancing and reasonably priced cocktails...its the best place in town!!

+

*'''Casa de la Música''' - there are two bars in the main Trinidad square and there is live music from 9pm till late. There is lots of dancing and reasonably priced cocktails... Though the Casa attracts most tourists, do shop around as many other venues have live music with less hassle and cheaper drinks.

There are also places where the locals hang-out and which serve quite decent beer at a very reasonable price. These places usually serve draught beer

There are also places where the locals hang-out and which serve quite decent beer at a very reasonable price. These places usually serve draught beer

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There is a beautiful colonial hotel on the main causeway up to the square. It is a little expensive, but worth it as it has colonial rocking chairs and 2 four poster beds.

There is a beautiful colonial hotel on the main causeway up to the square. It is a little expensive, but worth it as it has colonial rocking chairs and 2 four poster beds.

−

There are many casa particulares in Trinidad. It is an excellent way to meet the people of Trinidad and see how many live.

+

There are many casas particulares in Trinidad due to high levels of tourists. Rooms are very easy to find upon arrival so no need to book and lose some bargaining edge by doing so. The most expensive colonial rooms will cost at most 25 CUC in high season but you can bargain a standard room down to 10 CUC for two (breakfast included) in low season if your nationality plays in favour of a low price, and in any case less than 15 CUC with nearly no negotiating.

*'''Hostal "Felina y Otto"''' 711 Frank Pais (15$CUC per night excluding food). The accomodation is on the top floor of the house and is very private and features a roof terrace. The hosts offer a good breakfast (3$CUC) and Dinner (7$CUC). Food is delicious and the hosts are happy to provide advice on local attractions.

*'''Hostal "Felina y Otto"''' 711 Frank Pais (15$CUC per night excluding food). The accomodation is on the top floor of the house and is very private and features a roof terrace. The hosts offer a good breakfast (3$CUC) and Dinner (7$CUC). Food is delicious and the hosts are happy to provide advice on local attractions.

*<sleep name="Casa de Benito" alt="" address="33 Gustavo Izquerdo" directions="between Zeruera and Colon" phone="99 41-45" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="">Two large rooms with a shared bath in a colonial house filled with antiques. The food is excellent. Best of all, Benito and his wife are very nice and helpful, such as finding you another <i>casa</i> if their rooms are booked.</sleep>

+

*<sleep name="Casa de Benito Rodríguez Rodríguez" alt="" address="33 Gustavo Izquerdo" directions="between F.J. Zerquera and Colon" phone="53 (01-41) 994145" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="">Two large rooms with a shared bath in a colonial house filled with antiques. The food is excellent. Best of all, Benito and his wife are very nice and helpful, such as finding you another <i>casa</i> if their rooms are booked.</sleep>

*<sleep name="Lida Hernández Sandoval" alt="" address="Calle Mario Guerra #184" directions="between José Marti and Frank País" phone="53-41-994100" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="">Three rooms but only one license so this is one of the few <i>casas</i> that can rent to tourists who are traveling with Cubans (for example, if you hired a driver). Good food and lots of room for a big group.</sleep>

*<sleep name="Lida Hernández Sandoval" alt="" address="Calle Mario Guerra #184" directions="between José Marti and Frank País" phone="53-41-994100" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="">Three rooms but only one license so this is one of the few <i>casas</i> that can rent to tourists who are traveling with Cubans (for example, if you hired a driver). Good food and lots of room for a big group.</sleep>

*<sleep name="Dra. Onidia Puente Landestoy" alt="" address="Camilo Cienfiegos #33 entre Pedro Zerquera y Anastacio Cardenas Tdad S-Spiritus" directions="" phone="53-41-998221, 53836716" url="" checkin="" checkout="" price="" lat="" long="">2 brand-new rooms, each one with a tv, air-conditioner, fridge, a double bed and a single bed, and fancy shower and toilet. The owner, Onidia, is friendly, fun to talk to, speaks some English, and live in the house with her mother and her daughter. Location is about 4 blocks from Parque Cespedes. Great room for a decent price. </sleep>

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==Get out==

+

==Get out==

+

+

*[[Havana|Havana]] - If you plan to head to Havana, it may be a better option to get a "minibus" service, as the Viazul terminal in Havana is far away from most of the tourist accommodations and often requires an extra taxi ride. To sign up, just drop by at the Viazul bus terminal the day before departure and you'll be solicited to this service by one of the staff there. Have your hotel/casa particular address ready as he will need it to pick you up around 8:30am the next morning. Depending on the season you will get either a minibus or a shared taxi with fellow travellers. It costs about the same price as Viazul bus (25 CUC) and you pay the driver when you arrive at the destination. It's a door-to-door service plus you save nearly two hours of travel time.

{{isIn|Central_Cuba}}

{{isIn|Central_Cuba}}

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[[it:Trinidad (Cuba)]]

[[it:Trinidad (Cuba)]]

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[[pl:Trinidad (Kuba)]]

[[Wikipedia:Trinidad, Cuba]]

[[Wikipedia:Trinidad, Cuba]]

Revision as of 20:40, 20 October 2012

Contents

Get in

Viazul [1] buses have a twice daily service from Havana stopping at Cienfuegos, and a daily service from Santiago de Cuba stopping at Holguin, Camagüey, and Sancti Spiritus. There is also a service to/from Varadero stopping at Santa Clara and Cienfuegos that is not listed on the Viazul website. It leaves Varadero at 7:30AM and returns from Trinidad at 2:25PM. Viazul and Cubanacan offer direct buses to/from Viñales as well. You buy Viazul tickets from the air conditioned office right in front of where the buses park, not from the Astro or local bus counters.

Travel via taxi, specifically, unofficial taxis are a great cost effective way to travel to Trinidad as well. Typically only costing double the bus fare for two people, you'll get there in less than half the time, and in much greater comfort. When traveling with children, you might find this the preferred method of travel.

Trinidad has not been connected to the rest of Cuba by train since a hurricane destroyed an essential bridge in 1992. There is a local train running to the Valle de los Ingenios.

Get around

Street names may be difficult to find, although the town is very small. Once you wander around you can find every thing easily. The central part of the town is small enough to explore on foot.

See

The waterfalls just outside of the town in Topes de Collantes are beautiful. These are accessible either by car or by taking one of the day tours offered by Cubatur. (The local bus service to Topes de Collantes hasn't run in years.)

There is also salsa dancing in the square at night. Check out the colonial homes and furniture too. The houses are open and some of the antiquities are visible from the streets. Check out Casa de la Música: It is an open air location where there is a small platform from which groups perform at night. Usually, there is salsa musica and great salsa dancers there enjoy the music and dance and perform with foreigners. It is great to enjoy a few drinks there as well.

Do

Walk around in the old colonial center.

Go to the beach on the Ancón peninsula, a 5-10 minute taxiride outside the city center. It is well within biking distance from Trinidad; there may also be a local bus running (check at the local bus counter at the bus terminal, located on the left as you enter before the Astro counter). The peninsula is one of the few places in Cuba where you can access a great beach without staying at a resort hotel. Make sure you have mosquito repellent, especially if you intend to stay on the beach in the evening.

View from the Museum of the War Against the Bandits

The Museum of the War Against the Bandits (Lucha Contra Bandidos) is in a former convent close to the cathedral near the Plaza Mayor in the old colonial center. The War Against the Bandits was the 1961-1969 fight against U.S.-sponsored counterrevolutionaries, who hid out in the nearby mountains. If you don't read Spanish the displays may be difficult to understand, but the piece of the American U-2 spy plane shot down speaks for itself. Also well worth the entrance fee is the mirador (view) from the convent's tower, reached by several flights of wooden stairs, which has superb views across the whole town.

The cathedral is beautiful inside.

Also the market in the old colonial center which is nice to walk around and look at the handicrafts - drawn thread tableclothes and linens seem to be a speciality. The vendors are refreshingly laid back, you can look around and get virtually no hassle or pressure to buy.

The streets are cobble stones and very irregular and walking could be difficult for older folks. Wear runners for sure. Do not even think about wearing high heels. Your ankles will pay.

Climb the hill behind the town to get a great view. To get there, continue up the hill northeast from the Plaza Mayor. As you walk up the hill you go through poorer neighbourhoods. You may be asked for clothes or trinkets by the local kids. Seems pretty safe during the day but be careful at night.

There's a very atmospheric discotheque in a cave near the top of this hill (Las Cuevas). There is no sign or indication that it is there, just a steps leading into a hole in the ground behind a bush. It is in a huge cave with stalagmites and statactites. More tunnels and caves can be seen near the bathrooms. This is where young Cubans go to party, the music is mainly reggaton and techno. Fun starts after 11 pm. Very much worth checking it out. Cover charge for foreigners was 3 CUC [2012-09] including one drink (cocktail or beer). Beers were overcharged for foreigners (3.0 CUC asked) but could be paid for at the price for Cubans by flatly paying 1.5 CUC at the counter [2012-09].

Take one of the day tours offered by Cubatur. These include several options to Topes de Collantes, or a trip to the Valle de Los Ingenios on an old train with a restored carriage (if the steam engine is working ... if not, check back the next day). The train costs $10CUC per person. It is a nice way to spend a day for those with difficulties walking. The smoke from the steam engine can be thick, so watch out if you already have breathing difficulties.

Join a local tour on a horseback ride, the horse should take you into a forest half way and you will need to hike about half an hour into the forest, which leads to an amazing waterfall. Behind the waterfall is a cave you can swim into. In summer times, it is recommended to take a swim in the water fall, afterwards, the horse back ride trip will take you through muddy roads hiking back to the town of Trinidad.

Learn

Learning Spanish

If you want to learn Spanish during your stay in Trinidad you can take an Intensive Spanish course from one week up to four weeks. The classes are held 4 hours per day and give you the opportunity to improve your Spanish quickly during a short time period.

Babylon Idiomas [2] offers a wide range of affordable and high quality Spanish courses for all levels with experienced native teachers. Cultural and social activities are included in the programme. The school is located in the heart of the city, close to the Iglesia Francisco and Palacio Brune. New students can start on any Monday of the year.

Learning to dance

Take cheap, private and professional Salsa lessons for men or women.

Lesbiel Donet Pereira's small dance studio can accomodate 1-4 pax per hour with 2 teachers in the evenings. The step-by-step Salsa lessons at 5 CUC/h are ideal for an introduction to the dance form for Westerners but other options are available. Tel: 99 44 41 / 99 46 32 – Calle Maceo #409 entre Colón y Francisco Javier Zerquera (Rosario)

Call Senora Misladis at 99-4493. She has a private studio in her home

Buy

Before you go:

Bug repellent

Candles - power outages are common

A powerful battery

Strong sunblock if you are going in August.

Eat

There is a pizzeria, which is refreshing due to the lack of variety of vegetarian food in Trinidad. There are many other amazing places to eat with much fish and chicken cooked in imaginative ways.

Many casa particulares offer dinner, for a fee, which are usually authentic dishes and very well prepared and well worth checking out.

There are quite a few Paladars in the town, which offer quality home cooked style food which is usually served at the back of the hosts Casa or House. Its quite hard to find Paladars if you havent first been taken there by a tout or you have friends that could recommend one. If taken to a Paladar by a tout, be prepared to have their commission added to the bill.

There are several 'so called' peso pizza establishments in the town which allow tourists to purchase Pizza for the national peso price. This usually works out at around 5-10 national pesos or 10c. This is a good idea for travellers on a budget. One of the biggest places in Trinidad is situated on the corner of Frank Pais and Francisco Javier.

Drink

In the square at night, there are often events and there is a very good club open until the early hours.
It is a lovely town with amazing visitors and inhabitants, and small enough for you to wander and choose your drinking hole. The Mojito's and rum cocktails are great.

Casa de la Música - there are two bars in the main Trinidad square and there is live music from 9pm till late. There is lots of dancing and reasonably priced cocktails... Though the Casa attracts most tourists, do shop around as many other venues have live music with less hassle and cheaper drinks.

There are also places where the locals hang-out and which serve quite decent beer at a very reasonable price. These places usually serve draught beer
and stay open just as long as there is beer to serve. When the beer from one place has been drunk, then it's off to the next place or not. Many of the locals drink their beer outside on the street and Trinidad is so small so these places are easy to spot.

Sleep

There is a beautiful colonial hotel on the main causeway up to the square. It is a little expensive, but worth it as it has colonial rocking chairs and 2 four poster beds.

There are many casas particulares in Trinidad due to high levels of tourists. Rooms are very easy to find upon arrival so no need to book and lose some bargaining edge by doing so. The most expensive colonial rooms will cost at most 25 CUC in high season but you can bargain a standard room down to 10 CUC for two (breakfast included) in low season if your nationality plays in favour of a low price, and in any case less than 15 CUC with nearly no negotiating.

Hostal "Felina y Otto" 711 Frank Pais (15$CUC per night excluding food). The accomodation is on the top floor of the house and is very private and features a roof terrace. The hosts offer a good breakfast (3$CUC) and Dinner (7$CUC). Food is delicious and the hosts are happy to provide advice on local attractions.

Casa de Benito Rodríguez Rodríguez

Casa de Benito Rodríguez Rodríguez, 33 Gustavo Izquerdo (between F.J. Zerquera and Colon), ☎53 (01-41) 994145. Two large rooms with a shared bath in a colonial house filled with antiques. The food is excellent. Best of all, Benito and his wife are very nice and helpful, such as finding you another casa if their rooms are booked.

Lida Hernández Sandoval, Calle Mario Guerra #184 (between José Marti and Frank País), ☎53-41-994100. Three rooms but only one license so this is one of the few casas that can rent to tourists who are traveling with Cubans (for example, if you hired a driver). Good food and lots of room for a big group.

Casa de la Amistad, Zorquera (Rosario) ((between Marti and Frank Pais)). Centrally located hostal, popular amongst revolution sympathisers, run by ICAP (Instituto Cubano de Amistad con los Pueblos). Clean, a/c, tv, fridge, hot water (from a tank not the elctric type that give you a shock if you touch them). 25 cuc for a double room.

Dra. Onidia Puente Landestoy, Camilo Cienfiegos #33 entre Pedro Zerquera y Anastacio Cardenas Tdad S-Spiritus, ☎53-41-998221, 53836716. 2 brand-new rooms, each one with a tv, air-conditioner, fridge, a double bed and a single bed, and fancy shower and toilet. The owner, Onidia, is friendly, fun to talk to, speaks some English, and live in the house with her mother and her daughter. Location is about 4 blocks from Parque Cespedes. Great room for a decent price.

Get out

Havana - If you plan to head to Havana, it may be a better option to get a "minibus" service, as the Viazul terminal in Havana is far away from most of the tourist accommodations and often requires an extra taxi ride. To sign up, just drop by at the Viazul bus terminal the day before departure and you'll be solicited to this service by one of the staff there. Have your hotel/casa particular address ready as he will need it to pick you up around 8:30am the next morning. Depending on the season you will get either a minibus or a shared taxi with fellow travellers. It costs about the same price as Viazul bus (25 CUC) and you pay the driver when you arrive at the destination. It's a door-to-door service plus you save nearly two hours of travel time.